Trip Advisor

New York Times

STIR SOFTLY

A Hotel Restaurant Whose Name and Food Show
How to Be Both Quiet and HeardBy Catherine Jones

SPRING LAKE reminded
me of the movie "Pleasantville." Everyone I
encountered encouraged me, without prompting, to move on in.
It is certainly appealing, with the main street stretching along
the Atlantic as the rest of the community hugs an intimate lake
festooned with ornate wooden bridges - so appealing that a visitor
might miss the Hewitt Wellington Hotel. That would be a
mistake, as this lakefront Victorian, surrounded by gazebos,
neatly mown grounds and lush seaside gardens, hides a culinary
jewel. The restaurant there is so decidedly special that its
own name implies its desire to remain in anonymous: Whispers

in a town where time seems to stand still, no one can linger too
long at the table, for another lucky couple will gladly take your
seat when your two hours is up. Whispers is BYOB, and it
could really benefit from a liquor license: the rusting of
brown paper bags upon each entry detracts from the casual
elegance.

Hotel dining rooms often get away with average food but the dishes
delivered by our polished waiter tasted as good, if not better,
than their artful presentation. The chef, regularly changes his menu,
based on the season and the market. While I was distracted
by references to the geographic origin of each ingredient, I had
little else to complain about as I pondered the menu, a study in
simplicity and a showcase of Whispers' American cuisine, which
despite some kinks, was truly sumptuous.

I began with the special soft-shell crab appetizer, and the meal
could have ended there. The crab was crispy, meaty and
juicy, leaning against a colorful mound of diced purple potatoes,
scallions and smoked salmon. Although
the salmon seemed unnecessary both in flavor and texture, I could
not have been more pleased.

With grilled Caesar salad, I got my first taste of what this chef
was capable of: taking a tired old dish and making it
different, and better. A stalk of romaine has been seared on
the grill, which must have been stoked with wood chips, as the lettuce
was both smoky and tender. While the dressing was a little
clumpy, the diced poppy-red oven dried tomatoes were delightfully
cheerful.
One appetizer was a lesson in how experimentation can go a bit too
far. Oysters wrapped in spinach and smoked salmon were then
baked in a crisp cumin shell. None of the ingredients really
stood out on their own. I salute the effort but I guess I prefer them
all better raw. Also, the accompanying mesclum mix was
undressed, perhaps an oversight. The dollop of dill crème
fraiche was too small and too viscous to be a dressing substitute.

A cluster of skewers loaded with shrimp and onions aggressively
pierced a hunk of pineapple on the center of the plate, surrounded
by wild-looking fried linguine and covered in a confetti of
coconut shreds. Although it looked like some kind of tribal
ritual, the dish was bland. Again, I unearthed a tiny
dollop, this time of curry mayonnaise; and again, a larger amount
would have been welcome.

Grilled tuna arrived at the table severely overcooked, but was
swiftly taken away by our waiter even before we could point it
out. The substitute was a large portion of dry-rubbed and
seared meat, lightly coated in a sweet soy syrup. Although
the chef did not put an original twist on the now classic dish, it
was exceptional in its simplicity, paired with a delicate ginger
basmati and blanched green asparagus.

The halibut in Japanese bread crumb crust knocked my socks off.
A companion said the white flesh was as "fluffy as the finest down
pillow" and coated with a crunchy shell. The saffron beurre blanc over the
potatoes were so velvety that I paid little heed to what lay
underneath; unremarkable fingerling potatoes and Chinese beans.

The rack of lamb with a crust of fresh herb polenta, surrounded by
succulent sautéed bok choy, a ricotta-stuffed rosti potato (goat
cheese) would have been preferable inside), and truffle mashed
potatoes was my least favorite entree. The lamb should not
have been sectioned into six thin slices, but instead left whole
as three juicy chops, as they left me feeling more hungry than
impressed.

The desserts were sinful and rich. However, each featured
item was surrounded by multiple small piles of accompaniments that
my friends and I did not know what to make of. For example,
the bourbon crème brulee, fully satisfying on its own, came on a
large plate where marinated diced fruit lay in a tight pile.
It was curious pairing. The airy (as opposed to trendily
dense) chocolate soufflé was surrounded by a pate sucree shell
filled with chocolate ice cream and chocolate nut truffles.
As if there wasn't enough, a raspberry coulis lay underneath,
studded with tiny dabs of whipped cream, both of which detracted
from the chocolate celebration already in full swing.

After the meal, I stepped out onto the veranda of the Hewitt Wellington, happy
to see the little town of Spring Lake again. I don't know
about taking the townspeople up on their invitations to move in,
but I will certainly revisit. It is the hidden gem called
Whispers that will prompt my return. I am hesitant to let
out another peep about it.

Atmosphere: A very tiny parlor that could be a room in a
country club. No children under 12 allowed, except on
Mother's Day.

Price Range: First
course, $6 to $10; main course $22 to $29; desserts $6 to $9

Hours:
5:30pm to 11:00pm

Reservations: A must.

Credit Cards: All major

10 Years of Rave Reviews

ZAGATS Survey

27 24
26

Whispers

"Food
becomes an art" at this "cozy", "classy", "classy" New American with
"enormous charm" tucked into the "upscale" Hewitt Wellington Hotel in
upper-crust spring Lake; consider ordering one of the "inventive"
tasting menus to best sample "outstanding", "perfectly
prepared", globally inspired cuisine that enthusiasts rave is
"award-deserving." - Zagat Survey

Star Ledger

THE SUNDAY STAR-LEDGER

THREE and a HALF
STARS: The Shore the way it used to be is easy to conjure at
Whispers, artfully set in the 19th-century- vintage Hewitt Wellington
Hotel.

With its rambling porches and lake view, the hotel seems to
stop the clock in a more leisurely era. But Whispers serves
up-to-date food; just the thing for those who crave a touch
of modern culinary elegance while they relax.

The bulk of the menu is seafood, made with both
imagination and vitality. Pan-seared
skate filet ($21), his specialty, was never so tenderly
resplendent until he enhanced its smooth white flesh with browned
butter, and sprinkled it with iced pineapple for a small dose of
piquancy. Lobster-whipped Yukon gold potatoes add the
perfect touch to this blissful entree.

Snowy halibut ($22), nicely crusted with coarse Japanese bread
crumbs (panko) and pan-seared, was nearly upstaged by a sassy
pancake made of purple potato and avocado - making for an extremely
mellow combinations.
Crabmeat stars as the central ingredient in a quesadilla appetizer
($9). This sandwich of flour tortillas is smoothed with
Brie, through the horseradish dipping sauce seemed overkill to me,
drowning the delicate flavors of the crab and cheese.

There was no flaw, however, in the "Panache of
Appetizers," ($11) a combo including a strapping
Maryland crab cake, perfect medium-sized grilled shrimp and a
spirited salad of wild mushrooms. Grilling shrimp can be a
tricky business; there's a tendency to overdo, which results in
dry crustaceans. These, however, were models of there kind, with
an exterior just blackened enough to show that they had met the
fire.

Despite his affinity for fish, the chef does not neglect
carnivores. His signature appetizer is satiny French fois
gras ($14) served over Asian pears and sundried cranberries to add
a welcome element of tartness. The creation is balanced and
polished with a duck demi-glace.

The simplest dish produced in Whispers' kitchen is the towering
black Angus filet mignon ($28), with roasted garlic, whipped Yukon
gold potatoes and green asparagus. It's a good amount of
meat, a prime steak rather than the supermarket cuts too many
restaurants try to foist off on their patrons.

The only other meat among the entrees is a polenta-crusted roasted
rack o lamb ($24), though grilled ostrich ($10) is offered as a
starter.

Deserts by pastry chef, are appropriately light,
given the season. The champagne blueberry sorbet ($7)
dressed with mint is an outstanding refresher. Ice creams
($*( made in-house are creamy but not overly rich.

A duo of crème brulee ($9), bourbon vanilla and the palest raspberry,
was topped with the airiest of sugar crusts, while a "Napoleon"
($8) had no part of the traditional pastry layers. Rather,
vanilla ice cream was layered between two paper-thin crisp almond
wafers, served with fresh blueberries, strawberries and raspberries,
as well as heavenly cream Anglaise.

Patrons can dress up here without feeling out of place, though
jackets are not required for men. Servers are generally in
step with the refined atmosphere, though we were taken aback when
one asked if we wanted ice for the merlot we brought.

During the season, don't count on getting a table if you make a
spur of the moment decision to visit Whispers. Weekends
generally are booked days in advance. And check the hours if
you go in the fall, when the restaurant is no longer open seven
days a week.

Whispers offers another good reason to visit the peaceful town
known as the Irish Riviera, a magnet for Irish immigrants who had
made it big during the last century. After a dinner at
Whispers, you too, can feel like a well-fed tycoon. .

Bucks Magazine

Sweet Whispers

In the quaint seaside hamlet of Spring Lake,
NJ, the Hewitt-Wellington mansion has been nestled n a tree-lined
street, among other well-appointed Victorian homes, since the late
1800's. While there has always been a restaurant attached to the
hotel, this particular elegant, intimate dining room has been open for
only six years - a short tenure for a restaurant that has garnered the
kind of praise and patronage that Whispers has. The New York Times
has called it "decidedly special" and Zagat Survey says, "food becomes
art" here. With reservations booked well in advance, the word is
certainly out about this BYOB gem.

Owner Nicholas Bruno and Scott Giordano pair
exceptional ingredients with inventive flair to create an accessible and
interesting menu that changes with the seasons. "I want to provide
my chefs with the best ingredients I can get," says Bruno. This
commitment to quality is evident from the first moments of your dining
experience, when a gracious server brings you one of Giordano's
specialty amusee, such as a smoked salmon and herb cream cheese pinwheel
served on a miniature potato pancake, or marinated swordfish on a
cucumber slice topped with chipotle aioli.

Bruno's family has been in the produce
business for the past 100 years. To this day, he still buys his
fresh fruits and vegetables from his older brother, who brings
truckloads down from New York City. Although Bruno always has his
finger on the global market, he sticks close to home when it comes to
locally grown sweet corn and succulent ripe tomatoes. This past
Summer, Chef Giordano featured fresh Jersey tomatoes in a chilled soup
thickened with pureed dinner rolls, as well as diver scallop starter
served over a fresh Jersey tomato salad.

Other first courses include the seared
Hudson Valley foie gras served over plump, grilled black Mission fig and
topped with raspberry vinaigrette and blackberries - a lovely
combination of sweet fruit and rich, creamy duck liver. Salads at
Whispers can be as simple as a mesclun mix with pecan-dusted goat cheese
or as surprising as the grille Caesar, a creative take on the classic;
quarter-head of romaine lettuce, barely charred and wilted over the
grill, is topped with a creamy dressing, pine nuts and sun-dried
tomatoes.

Seafood is
another notable feature on the Whispers' menu, particularly the lobster
special, which has rapidly become a local favorite. The 1 1/2
pound lobster, poached in saffron beurre blanc, is served with a jumbo
lump crab cake in a crispy wonton basket over mashed potatoes and
sautéed spinach.

In
the sake-marinated sea bass, Giordano brings out the subtle sweetness of
a fish that can otherwise be bland. The sea bass is served in a
lemongrass broth over lobster dumplings with generous portions of
grilled baby bok choy, spinach, carrots, seaweed and scallions.
Somehow, in the fusion of all those flavors, the sake still brightens
the palate, while the earthiness of the vegetables keeps the dish
grounded. Despite the lemongrass and the lobster dumplings, both
delightful surprises, this dish is reminiscent of nothing so much as the
most pleasing home-cooked Japanese sukiyaki.

It's no surprise that Whispers' fish is
excellent; Bruno buys all of the seafood himself, twice a week at the
Fulton Fish Market in Manhattan. "I always get my swordfish from
the same guy, from Best Buy Seafood" he says. "That way I always
know it's good." Bruno is exceptionally sensitive to what's in
season, so everything is fresh. "The Dover sole is flown in from
England air freight. I only use Maryland crabmeat in the summer,
when it's best. Otherwise, we're getting our crab from down south."

It's not just the
fresh produce and fish that set Whispers apart, though. The menu
also includes a barrel-cut Angus file mignon, a pork tenderloin and a
veal chop for the meat eaters in your group. The filet
rivals any steakhouse's best. Charred on the outside, tender on
the inside, it is served over crunchy potato-and-bleu cheese pancake
with steamed asparagus on the side. However, Giordano's pork
tenderloin dishes are his pride. He pairs the pork with
sage-and-corn bread stuffing, roasted pepper and a peach-chipotle
barbecue sauce, and serves it over maple-infused, whipped sweet
potatoes. This season he's encrusted the pork with garlic, stuffed
it with apples, dried cranberries and walnuts, topped it with a sherry
shallot sauce and served the creation along side sweet potato and apple
gratin.

Desserts here
are as decadent as the rest of the menu and include chocolate ganache
cake, tarte tatine, bananas foster, crème brulee and tropical mango
cake. The creations are the work of Whispers new pastry chef Drew
Araneo, who is experimenting with pecan tarts for the fall and winter
menus. And don't fret if you forget you bottle of wine.
Local wine shop owner Joe Eagan will be happy to recommend a bottle and
even deliver it tableside. - HS